Quinn urges Illinois Senate to act on tax breaks

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Gov. Pat Quinn says he commends the Illinois House for passing tax breaks.

Quinn said in a statement Monday afternoon that he encourages the Illinois Senate “to take swift action” on Tuesday. The House approved two tax measures on Monday. One allows tax breaks for businesses, including big names that are threatening to leave Illinois. The other measure was aimed at poor and middle-class families.

Quinn says the package will “bring much-needed relief” to families and help employers “put more people back to work.”

The tax package includes aid for Sears and financial exchanges such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. It also includes broader tax breaks, like a credit for research and development and a more generous method of writing off losses.